Cinnamon Vine (Dioscorea polystachya)

1 well-established plant in a 9cm pot, sent in plastic-free packaging. A highly vigorous, deep-rooting herbaceous climber, prized for its intensely fragrant flowers and highly nutritious, dual-harvest edible yields.

Perennial Climber | 300/500cm tall | Full sun to partial shade | Edible deep tubers and aerial bulbils | Cinnamon-scented blooms and vigorous growth

Dioscorea polystachya (widely known by its botanical synonym Dioscorea batatas or as the Chinese Yam) is a fast-growing, twining vine native to East Asia. In the kitchen, it is a high-yielding staple crop. Below ground, it produces a massive, vertically descending tuber (normally harvested after 3 years of growth). In addition to the main root, the vine prolifically produces small, potato-like aerial tubers (bulbils) along its leaf axils in late summer; these “yam berries” are completely edible and excellent when pan-fried.

This plant derives its common name from the extraordinary fragrance of its flowers. In mid-to-late summer, it produces small, white flowers that emit a remarkably strong, sweet scent identical to baking cinnamon, drawing in a wide variety of late-summer pollinators, particularly nocturnal moths. The plant is easily propagated; the aerial bulbils naturally detach and drop to the soil surface in autumn, and can be potted up to create new plants.

This vine requires some planning in order to be able to produce a successful crop. Holding an RHS H5 hardiness rating, the underground tuber is fully hardy and will survive frozen UK soils, but it doesn’t like wet conditions and can rot. We find its best grown in a poly tunnel, and to grow it in a deep raised bed or deep pot to make harvesting easier.  It is fast-growing and likes a sturdy support to climb up.

Contact Dermatitis (“Yam Itch”): When peeling, slicing, or grating the raw tuber, getting this sap on bare hands can cause acute, intensely itchy contact dermatitis and redness. We recommend wearing gloves when preparing the raw tubers. Alternatively, soaking the peeled yams in a weak vinegar-water solution quickly neutralises the irritating oxalate crystals.

Delivery Information

All plants are carefully packed and sent in plastic-free packaging to protect both the plant and the environment. Plants are dispatched promptly so they arrive fresh, healthy, and ready to plant.

We ship orders using a tracked 24-hour delivery service, helping to minimise time in transit and reduce stress on the plant. Orders are packed by hand at the nursery, and we aim to dispatch early in the week to avoid delays over weekends.

If you have any questions about delivery timing or combining orders, please get in touch before ordering and we will be happy to help.

To find out more about other plants for your garden visit – https://dyfiplants.substack.com